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A Challenge to Warren Buffet: End BNSF railroad's dependence on hauling and burning fossil fuels!

The Buffett Legacy Project is our moral appeal to multi-billionaire Warren Buffett, owner of BNSF. We launched a petition on Sunday and released a series of video letters asking that Buffett: (full letter below)

“End BNSF railroad’s dependence on hauling and burning fossil fuels. Partner with Gov. Inslee to electrify BNSF, increase track speeds, and run your trains on 100% renewable energy from Seattle to Chicago.”

This “Ask” is backed up with our companion Solutionary Rail project, our policy proposal to shift the economics of rail to make it an engine for sustainable transport and renewable energy rather than an accelerator for climate and environmental catastrophe. The Solutionary Rail proposal is being created by a dedicated team from around the country which has been meeting since last October. Patrick Mazza and I outlined the Solutionary Rail proposal on Diane Horn’s Sustainability Segment on KEXP last Saturday. (Listen here).

Feeling adventurous? If you create your own respectful-yet-strong moral appeal to Mr. Buffett, we’ll add it to the campaign.

Sign onto this letter to Warren Buffett via http://BuffettLegacy.org petition:

Dear Mr. Buffett,

Please, stop “hedging your bets” with investments in further use offossil fuels that are guaranteed to harm the climate and the well beingof future generations. Your railroad, BNSF’s reliance on shipping coaland oil is not sustainable for your company, your workers, or theplanet. These fuels are causing climate disruption, oceanacidification, damaging public health, and endangering the environmentsand cultural inheritance of the communities they move through.

As the owner, you have the capacity to break the BNSF’s and the railroadindustry’s addiction to the consumption and transport of fossil fuels. You alone have the power to transform the role and impact of railroadsfrom being part of the problem to being a pivotal component of thesolution.

As you have pointed out, transportation by rail is 3-4 times more energyefficient than by truck. Electrification of the railroad would multiplythat efficiency again by 3. Investment in modernization of rail lineswill deliver higher speeds, which will draw high value freight off oftrucks on our overburdened highways and make intercity passenger servicemore attractive. Electrified rail can run on zero emissions energy fromwind, sun and other renewable sources. It is even possible for yourrailroad’s right-of-way to serve as a highly efficient HVDC transmissioncorridor for clean, renewable energy.

We call this vision Solutionary Rail. We urge you to work with Governor Jay Inslee and other regional leadersmake the Northern Transcon part of the solution for future generations. Implement the Solutionary Rail model to create a backbone forsustainable transport and renewable energy infrastructure in the regionthrough which BNSF roles. Establish your legacy as the benevolentbillionaire who had the wisdom to invest in the pivot to a sustainablefuture.

Respectfully,

Signer… (YOU!)


For more on this topic, visit http://solutionaryrail.org/, a project of Backbone Campaign.

Backbone Campaign marked this historic weekend by being out in the streets in Seattle and New York City as well as at the Protect the Sacred rally at the US/Canada border. We used this pivotal moment to launch two new fronts in our campaign to save our beautiful Pacific NW home-bioregion Cascadia and the Salish Sea from becoming a fossil fuel corridor to Asia. I was honored to be able to address the crowd about these projects at the Seattle rally Sunday.

ACTION ALERT: Oil Train Halted – Mother suspended above tracks!

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Rising Tide Seattle along with participants who attended Backbone Campaign’s Localize This! Action Camp launched a technical blockade action early this morning effectively halting both Oil and Coal Trains!!

Tired of inaction by politicians?
Call Govenor Inslee to tell him actions like this inspire you not his foot-dragging.
***Demand Govenor Inslee Stops Stalling and Declares a Moratorium on all Fossil Fuel Infrastructure Projects – 360-902-4111
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***Action Alert*** Oil Train HALTED!

RIGHT NOW, suspended above oil-by-rail train tracks, this courageous mother and climate justice activist is compelled to risk life and limb to protect our communities’ and our children’s future. Her righteous actions offers a stark contrast to the reckless actions by billionaires Warren Buffett and transnational corporations whose only allegiance is to profit.

It is the fearless defense of what we love by ordinary people that will bend our society towards justice, not the inaction of politicians embedded in the establishment.

 

Oil Train Halted by Tripod Blockade Action-                        Rising Tide SeattleAre you ready to take meaningful action?

The blockade continues strong! #noneshallpassDonate to their action fund: bit.ly/1uxxN5q

EVERETT: Five local residents have stopped work at a Burlington Northern Santa-Fe Rail Yard in Everett by erecting a tripod structure on the outbound railroad tracks, directly in front of both a mile-long oil train and a coal train. Seattle resident Abby Brockway – a small business owner and mother – is suspended from the structure 18 feet above the tracks while four other residents are locked to the legs of the tripod. The group is demanding an immediate halt to all shipments of fossil fuels through the Northwest and calling on Governor Inslee to reject permits for all new fossil fuel projects in Washington, including proposed coal and oil terminals.

“People in the Pacific Northwest are forming a thin green line that will keep oil, coal and gas in the ground,” said Brockway, “Just one of these proposed terminals would process enough carbon to push us past the global warming tipping point – we won’t let that happen.”

Today’s protest has shut down work at BNSF’s Delta Rail Yard in Everett. With the increase of fossil fuel transport in recent years the yard has become a crucial staging ground for coal trains headed to Canadian export terminals and oil trains bound for Washington refineries. An oil train carrying explosive bakken crude oil sat stalled while the protest continued.

“Exploding oil trains running through my town are just a reminder of how out of control the fossil fuel industry really is,” said Jackie Minchew an Everett resident and retired educator locked to one of the tripod’s poles.

In a controversial move, Burlington Northern Santa Fe recently announced a tentative deal with union leaders to reduce train crews from an engineer and conductor to a single engineer. The oil train that derailed and exploded in Lac-Megantic, Quebec was crewed by a single engineer. BNSF claims that oil trains will continue to have two-person crews, but critics point out that nothing in the proposed contract binds the company to that statement. Under the proposed deal, coal trains would be operated by a single crew-member.

Oil Train Halted by Tripod Blockade Action- Rising Tide            Seattle“BNSF is endangering workers, communities and our environment. They should keep the conductors and lose the oil trains,” said Brockway.

The surge in oil train traffic is already impacting passenger rail and agricultural shipments. Farmers from the Midwest to Washington State have faced what they call “unprecedented” delays in moving Wheat and other products to West Coast ports. Amtrak service through fossil-fuel train corridors has also suffered significant disruption, and officials have expressed concern that the problem will only get worse as more terminals come online.

“Railroads can be part of the solution, transporting crops and people or part of the problem with coal and oil. We should make that decision, not the fossil fuel companies,” Said Patrick Mazza, a longtime climate activist also locked to the tracks.

Mazza says he is taking this action for his daughter, who will turn 18 tomorrow.

“My last act as a father before my daughter reaches full adulthood tomorrow is to put my body on the line today,” Said Mazza, “It is up to us of the parental generation to do our absolute best to leave the least climate disrupted world we can, to put our bodies on the line to give our kids a fighting chance to deal with what we have left them.”

Development of extreme energy projects–like the Alberta tar sands, Bakken Shale oil and coal from the Powder River Basin–has fueled an explosion in proposed fossil fuel infrastructure in the Northwest. More than twenty new or expanded coal, oil, and gas terminals are proposed between British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon. In both states and British Columbia, these proposals have been met with fierce local resistance. Local communities have challenged both the safety of transporting coal, oil, and volatile gas through their communities and the role of fossil fuel export in fueling catastrophic climate disruption. Proposed coal terminals in Longview and Bellingham, and oil terminals in Vancouver and Gray’s Harbor, would lead to more carbon emissions than produced in the state of Washington each year.

“We could pass every climate initiative proposed by Governor Inslee, but if we let these terminals be built our future is on the chopping block,” said Liz Spoerri a Seattle middle school teacher also locked on the tracks.

While proposed coal and oil terminals have been controversial for years, climate activists in the Northwest have significantly intensified their tactics this summer. In Montana, residents sat on the tracks to block a coal train last April, and again on August 16,. In early July a woman locked herself to a 55-gallon barrel filled with concrete, blocking oil-trains at a Portland facility. In a similar action on July 28, three people blocked oil-trains at the Tesoro refinery in Anacortes by locking themselves to concrete filled barrels. Most recently, three Seattle residents, including state legislative candidate Jess Spear, were arrested blocking oil and coal trains near the Seattle Waterfront.

Oil Train Halted by Tripod Blockade Action- Rising Tide            Seattle“People in the Northwest are not going to allow this region to become a fossil fuel superhighway,” said Mike LaPoint, an Everett small business owner locked on the tracks. “This is just a sample of the resistance that will happen if any large fossil fuel project is permitted.”

Despite controversy, the number of fossil fuel trains on Washington’s rails continues to rise. While larger coal and oil terminals are undergoing lengthy environmental reviews, projects at Washington’s refineries have brought approximately two oil trains per day to communities like Seattle and Everett. While the Department of Ecology conducts a study on the safety of oil-by-rail construction continues on a new terminal at the Phillips 66 refinery in Ferndale, and local officials are attempting to fast-track an oil train terminal at Shell’s Puget Sound Refinery without environmental review. Each of these projects could add up to six oil trains per week to the rails. Expansions at the Fraser Surrey Docks coal export facility in Vancouver, Canada, would increase the number of coal trains moving through Washington. Activists are demanding an immediate moratorium on all new fossil fuel terminals.

“Politicians play a blame game and talk about safety, but new terminals keep getting rubber stamped and built,” said LaPoint, “If elected officials won’t stop the fossil fuel takeover, we’ll have to do it for them.”

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Rising Tide Seattle is a grassroots, all-volunteer collective dedicated to taking direct action to confront the root causes of climate change, and support communities on the frontlines of extractive industries.

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Protect Our Salish Sea Native-led Action at Localize This! Action Camp 2014

The reckless and rapid expansion of fossil fuel transport through the Pacific Northwest poses an unprecedented threat to this natural treasure and the safety of our communities. Water is Sacred. Protect our Salish Sea.

Natives and non-natives are uniting to meet this threat with beautiful resistance…

To roll back these perilous misdeeds we need a vibrant movement that stirs our hearts, stokes our spirits, compels us to take meaningful action to protect what we love and reminds us of our responsibility to fight for the world our children deserve.

An immensely important aspect of the work is to honor, highlight, and support the leadership exemplified by those who have been careful stewards to this beautiful land for centuries before the exploitation and extraction of it ensued.

Backbone strategically designed our 6th annual Localize This! action camp to practice and model the good approach to alliance building that Backbone Campaign and our collaborators have been engaged in. At this year’s Localize This! we went to school on how to be good allies with Natives.

The passionate activists who attend camp gift us with making their vocation the pursuit of the societal transformation we long for. We can’t also ask them to bear all the cost of producing camp. If you want the people fighting for your values to have the tools and tactics they need, then pitch in today to help us cover the costs of the northwest’s artful activism action camp.

Practicing good allyship with Natives at Localize This! 2014 Action Camp:
We invited our friend and Idle No More WA organizer Sweetwater Nannauck, a wonderful bridge-builder among Natives and non-natives, to facilitate and organize a Native Day at camp. In addition to the usual phenomenal workshops provided at camp, participants took part in workshops on Anti-Oppression, Historical Trauma Healing, Spiritual Activism, How To Work Well With Natives, Ritual and Ceremony and more.

Together we sought to better understand the experience and culture of Native Americans in the Pacific Northwest and begin healing some of our shared historical trauma and feelings of guilt and grief.

The camp concluded with the camp participants and community members supporting a Native-led action in a spirit of service and solidarity. The action and focus of camp provided an immensely meaningful experience that many have longed for.

The “Protect Our Salish Sea final action included:

  • A beautiful traditional ‘Paddle to Seattle’ Native Canoe landing lead by Mike Evans of the Snohomish Tribe and supported by a flotilla of kayaks practicing the proper protocol.
  • A traditional welcoming and protocol by Ken Workman of the Duwamish Tribe
  • Inspiring rally with Native speakers from WA to British Columbia including Laverne Lane of the Lummi Nation.
  • Tribal Bear Dance
  • Traditional Native Flute playing by Paul Che oke ten Wagner
  • Our community engagement artful activists worked hand-in-hand with Sweetwater and talented Native artist Odin Lonning to create the beautiful banners you see in the video, and t-shirts and hand flags emblazoned with traditional native iconography and cedar bracelets to serve as gifts, part of the traditional native practice of gift-giving.
  • A Water Blessing Ceremony at the shore.
  • A immensely moving chant an procession to the active railroad train tracks where the BNSF train stopped for our symbolic blockade of the tracks.

Help us carry this work forward and ensure we can continue to make Localize This! a unique resource to our movement by Contributing Today!

Water is Sacred. Protect our Salish Sea.

First Washington State Tree Sit Since 1999!

BREAKING: First Washington State Tree Sit Since 1999!
Chiara D’Angelo blockades environmental destruction on Bainbridge Island

Contact: 206-940-5082 or 425-495-5320
10060 High School Rd NE, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110

**UPDATED 10:32am** NOW VIDEO FOR DOWNLOAD HERE. ​Images for download HERE & HERE

Visconsi has just threatened to press charges if she doesn’t come down by 4pm today (8/18) – she plans on staying indefinitely.

VIGIL AT 5PM-8PM TODAY (Monday 8/18) look for red banner on left road down PROBuild’s drive way past their green and white sign at 10060 High School Dr, across the street (NORTH) of McDonalds enterance.

BAINBRIDGE ISLAND – Bainbridge High School graduate Chiara Rose D’Angelo is sitting 70 feet up on a platform among the canopy of an evergreen. The tree is one of 830 approved to be clear-cut for the KeyBank/Visconsi Mall where a Walgreens, among others, is expected to be built. Chiara is demanding a halt to the project and looking to raise awareness about the environmental devastation setting the stage for our future. She is calling citizens to send 830 letters and post cards to Key Bank in opposition to the development – one for each tree cut.

“The tree sit is an effort designed to create more time for the community of Bainbridge to move into action and voice their opposition to this unsustainable development. There will be an ongoing presence at the site as well as a letter writing campaign and sign ons for boycotting the mall. I am hoping this sit leads to expanded dialog about what we want this Island to look like in our future.”
Chiara’s roots are here on Bainbridge. Her Grandfather Art Patricio was a Ferry Boat captain for 50 years. Her grandmother Lora Hart worked at Streamliner Diner to raise her children. Chiara was raised by her mother on the island.

A formal boycott has been initiated and is growing in size as residents express their intention to never do business in the new shopping center.

According to Kent Bridwell, Lead boycott organizer “A new shopping center is wholly unnecessary on Bainbridge. Too many local businesses have already failed and there are vacant storefronts everywhere. This includes the former Union Bank building, which remains available for lease or purchase.”
Saturday, August 16th, Chiara, accompanied by 80 residents of all ages,spokeat an on site vigil to acknowledge the loss that will occur from thisproject.Now Chiara sits in a tree to hold space for more community action andsupport.

“The ‘expedited approval and development’ that Visconsi, an Ohio based developer, brags about on there website, seems to be manifesting itself onto the Island. Bainbridge has the potential to serve as a healthy watershed, helping to preserve the Puget Sound. For the well being of the Sound, and future generations, we need to turn the tide on the status quo by bringing a halt to this unwanted and unneeded development,” says Chiara.
Please support Chiara’s efforts and send your letter to Key Bank’s Chairperson and CEO: Beth Mooney, Chairperson and CEO; KeyCorp; 127 PublicSquare; Cleveland, OH44114-1306

Call at 800-625-3256
And sign the pledge at
http://environmentalbainbridge.org/stop-unwanted-development-on-bi/

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email: info@backbonecampaign.org
web: http://backbonecampaign.org/
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Rolling Peaceful Rebellion For Real Democracy: 3pm at Greenlake Sunday

For Immediate Release:

National Contacts:
Backbone Campaign, Bill Moyer, 206-356-9980,bill@backbonecampaign.org
Popular Resistance, Margaret Flowers, 410-591-0892, mdpnhp@gmail.com
Kevin Zeese 301-996-6582, kbzeese@gmail.com
Click on link for Local Contacts:
July 3rd, 8pm (plus)- Dallas, TX
July 4th, 8am – Santa Monica, CA
July 4th, 11am – Arroyo Seco, NM
July 4th, – Nevada City, CA
July 4th, 4:30pm – Rockford, IL
July 4th, 8:30 pm – Cleveland, OH
July 6th, 3pm – Seattle, WA
July 7th, evening Madison at Capitol
July 11th, 7:30pm – Los Angeles, CA
July 12th, 10am – Lexington Kentucky
July 12th, 11am – San Diego, CA
July 12th, 1pm – New York City
July 12th, 6pm – Denver, CO
Call for date and time – Milwaukee, WI


US Democracy Movement Engages In Nationwide – Rolling Rebellion For Real Democracy

Drawing on the revolutionary spirit of Independence Day, DemocracyMovement Dallas July 3rd action at Fireworksorganizers arecalling for a week of creative, artful rebellion against the corrupting influence of money in politics. In the week of July 4th to July 12th activists around the country will stage rebellious actions to showcase a movement ready to overthrow corporate rule and reclaim the promise of government of, by, and for We the People.

“We are fighting for the very self-evident, endowed by creator, unalienable rights celebrated on this anniversary of the Declaration of Independence,” said Bill Moyer, Executive Director of the Backbone Campaign. “Those long ago affirmed rights and principles are incompatible with the corrosive ideas of corporate personhood and the subsequent rights being claimed for corporations, investors, and capital itself. The result isthat we are reducing everything and everybody else to commodities,including our planet, our democracy, and life itself. The RollingRebellion is calling for nothing less than a non-violent, second American Revolution against oligarchic power and the corporations that that oligarchy hide behind,” concluded Moyer.

Four years since the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizen’s United brought down the barriers to corporations buying American elections, a strong and broad based movement has emerged to challenge oligarchic rule. And as the influence of big money and corporate power grows, with April’s McCutcheon V. FEC ruling continuing to dismantle limits on campaign spending, the creativity, resolve and ranks of the Democracy Movement are growing as well.
Rolling Rebellion    for a Real Democracy
“We know that it will require nothing short of a broad, deep, consciousand educated social movement demanding real democracy to create theworld we deserve,” said David Cobb, a spokesperson for the national Move to Amend Coalition. “The Rolling Rebellion is our opportunity to come together and make thathappen.”

The “Rolling Rebellion For Real Democracy” plans to use creative tactics like street theater,puppetry and light projection to showcase the breadth and diversity of this movement. From New Hampshire to Seattle activists are planning events to showcase the national movement and advance local campaigns.

“Our movement is diverse, but we all agree that a crisis of Democracy is atthe root of our problems and it’s time to solve it,” said Kevin Zeese,an organizer with Popular Resistance. “Inspired by America’s pre-revolutionary roots we recognize both the need to protest rule of the wealthy and to create real democratic alternatives from the ground up,” added Margaret  Flowers, also with Popular Resistance.

In Denver, Colorado activists armed with prop torches and pitchforks will converge on the State Capitol to drive out “Corporate Persons” in a display of popular revolt.

FCC ActionActivists in Lexington Kentucky will march from the Estate of Henry Clay to the Estate of Mary Todd, giving public readings of the Declaration of Independence and Amendments to the U.S.Constitution, and holding a teach-in about efforts to Amend the constitution to declare that Corporations do not have the same rights as people.

Seattle, Washington activists will stage a street performance and procession featuring giant puppets of a “Corporoctopus” and Lady Liberty. Organized by WAmend, Washington’s Move to Amend Chapter, the event will kick off the next phase of the campaign to pass a ballot initiative directing the Washington Congressional Delegation to work towards a constitutional amendment declaring that Corporations do no thave the same rights as people.

For full report backs on actions happening around the country visit www.rollingrebellion.org or contact ahmed@backbonecampaign.org.High quality photos will be available upon request.

 

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A Real Democracy Is Not    For Sale

 

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Join the Localize This! Action Camp

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The NW Action Camp Localize This! returns for it’s 6th year August 5th-11th.

Secure Your Spot – Sponsor an Organizer – Send a Delegation – Spread The Word!
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After 6 years Localize This! Action Camp has proven to be a tremendous resource to progressive movements and social change agents from across the country

Register TODAY and join passionate activists and organizers at the Northwest cross-movement artful activism and creative organizing intensive, Localize This! Action Camp.

If you can’t make camp, support the organizers who can by contributing to the scholarship fund- HERE.


Learn About Action Camp HERE

(Click the Above photo to watch a short video about the Action Camp.)

For the past five years this gathering has been at the cusp of movement innovation, a source of numerous collaborations, and a spark for countless creative actions from viral Flash Mobs to Giant flying buttocks. Our giant 1% arrows banner and light projections preceded Occupy.Previous year’s camps lifted up Eviction Protection in the Seattle area and now our allies are celebrating a victorious Eviction Blockade. Our first camp helped save an island!

Learn More at LocalizeThis.org

Tips for Crowd-Funding your way to camp are HERE

Help spread the word about the
Localize This! Artful Action Camps

  1. Please copy and SHARE/Tweet/email to friends this link http://LocalizeThis.org
  2. Invite Facebook Friends to our FB event page the Northwest HERE.
  3. Download poster for the Northwest Camp HERE


Localizethis2014VashonFlier

 

 

Join the Rolling Rebellion for Real Democracy

Rebellion Is a Muscle that Must Be Exercised!

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IF you treasure the self-evident, endowed by creator, unalienable rights which the Declaration of Independence celebrated and promised this new country would uphold;

IF you adhor corporations claiming those unalienable rights as “corporate persons” and think billionaires manipulating elections with their wealth is corrupting our democracy to the core;

THEN you probably agree that it is time to tap into the United States’ revolutionary roots and in the spirit of the Declaration of Independence instigate a nonviolent American Revolution against oligarchic rule.

All across America, from New Hampshire to California, We the People are beginning to rise up in an autonomous, nonviolent, and rolling rebellion for real democracy. The Backbone Campaign, Popular Resistance, and other allies have created Rolling Rebellion for Real Democracy with an action map and activist toolkits to bolster this burgeoning US Democracy Movement.

From July 4th – July 12th, we are supporting a series of non-violent, artfully rebellious events around the country to get money out of politics, showcase the emergent US Democracy Movement, and spur on its escalating fight for real democracy. Check our action map to join a Rolling Rebellion action near you, or sign up to host your own.

Here’s a great article about our Rolling Rebellion project with our key collaborator Popular Resistance.

Rebellion is a muscle that must be exercised!

 

"Supreme" Court and US "representative democracy" are in a deep crisis of legitimacy

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It is time to arm and train the nonviolent warriors of our time.

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Bill    Moyer of Backbone Campaign speech at McCutcheon VS FEC Event in    Seattle 10-10-13
Bill Moyer’s 10-10-13 statement regarding “Political Calculus” and the crisis of legitimacy for our government. This was delivered on the US Court House in Seattle, WA on the day the US Supreme Court heard oral arguments on McCutcheon VS the FEC.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5138/5434534090_0962b8c331_z.jpgBackbone HQ 4-03-14:
Once again, we have been betrayed by our “highest court” and I am forced to ask, what is so “supreme” about this so-called Supreme Court? How could an institution deserve such a title when it is aggressively undermining checks and balances – not just between branches of government, but between the oligarchic few and the increasingly indentured many?

The “Supreme” Court and US “representative democracy” are in a deepcrisis of legitimacy.

The injury of Citizens United vs FEC has now been compounded by the insult of McCutcheon VS the FEC. McCutcheon VS the FEC turns our Federal elections into an auction by removing limits on contributions to candidates in Federal elections. It will allow the most wealthy to spend freely to thrust their minions into Federal office. This along with their decisions on Citizens United and the Voting Rights Act…confirm that our current system in not merely broken, but “fixed.” It is fixed to concentrate power and wealth amongst the few at the expense and exclusion of the many.

Incrementalism has proven a failure in even slowing down the abandonment of our original Social Contract based upon the paradigm of sacred”unalienable rights” of Life, Liberty, Pursuit of Happiness expressed in our original revolutionary Declaration. The evolving expression of those sacred, “endowed by creator” rights articulated as human rights, community rights, and rights of nature are under siege globally.National and global aspirations for that paradigm are being crushed by the paradigm of Commodification. The paradigm of Commodification is propelled by fear and scarcity and finds expression in the cynical inventions of “corporate rights,””investor rights,” and the rights of capital itself – the idol that blesses the commodification of everything and everyone. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7169/6761545927_493cdc8153_z.jpg

It is time for a new social contract. The Constitution has failed to live up to the promises of the Declaration of Independence. We must support those who building momentum for that movement. The WAMends of this country, nationally inspired and by the Move to Amend coalition are providing a foundation for a movement for a new social contract. But this is much more than a philosophical struggle – this is a paradigmatic battle fought on every front of collusion between corporate and elected power.

Arm the Rebels!
Backbone Campaign is providing tactical tools and capacity to the moral warriors across America through trainings and material support. Join us today! Become part of our network of Action Brigades by attending an Action Camp. Help us arm the nonviolent rebels to help them boldly hold the higher moral ground and inspire a populism that is based on the best in humans rather than the worst, a revolution grounded in LOVE and Abundance.

Defend what you Love – Fight for your Aspirations. We can either acceptour creative inalienable role as co-authors of the future or choosevictimhood andbetray that which is sacred in and around us. This is a spiritualbattle in which Love Must Win!

Forward Together!

Bill Moyer & Team Backbone
Join us today!

Localize This!

 

Tueday- If Free Dinner Doesn't Get Your Attention Does Flesh-Eating Bacteria?

Backbone Campaign

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There is a looming public health crisis fueled by short-sighted greed of the factory farm industry.

Seattle is poised to join the growing movement for sensible reform to stop anitbiotics misuse.

Yet, vigilance is needed to compel Seattle City Council to take the right action.

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Two million Americans are suffering from antibiotic resistant infectionsevery year, but here in Seattle, we are taking the first big step to endthe industry greed fueling this public health crisis.

Join our friends at Food & Water Watch and grassroots activistsTOMORROW to reaffirm the need for action.

Attend tomorrow night’s dinner to connect with others demandingmeaningful action to ban misuse of antibiotics.

 

Preserving Antibiotics: A Public Health Imperative Free Dinner.

On April 1st, our friends at Food and Water Watch are teaming up with the UW Medical Center to host a forum and free organic dinner titled Preserving Antibiotics: A Public Health Imperative.

This comes the same day that the City Council will consider a resolution calling to ban misuse of antibiotics on factory farms. The anticipated announcement should happen at this event, and we need as many people there as possible.

Informative, free dinner, and exciting announcements!

Register before the end of the day to attend.

Tomorrow, Seattle City Council will vote to protect public health.

Despite the obvious logic of this sensible reform, there is industry opposition(check it out http://tinyurl.com/mo2ehzr)

Which makes it extremely important that we have a big crowd and have our testimonies heard.

If you are planning on testifying: Please show up 10-15 minutes early to sign up! There is limited time on the agenda for public comment, and people will be there to testify on other issues as well, so we need to make sure we get our voice in there.

Everybody: Wear RED to signify STOPPING antibiotic misuse! We will probably have press there, and we want to have a great visual of all the people that are calling for action here in Seattle!

What: City Council Hearing on Resolution for Ban of Antibiotic Misuse in Factory Farms
When: TOMORROW, April 1st, 2:00pm
Where: City Hall, 600 4th Avenue, 2nd Floor, Council Chambers
Who: YOU, IN RED, to make history to protect public health


Preserving Antibiotics:
A Public Health Imperative

Tuesday, April 1

6-8:30pm

University of Washington Medical Center

& School of Public Health

invite you to this free event about

antibiotics in animal agriculture

Dinner will be served

Register by March 31st

Close to 30 million pounds of antibiotics are sold each year in the United States – not for use in human medicine, but animal agriculture. Many of these antibiotics are administered to animals for non-therapeutic purposes, for growth promotion and to compensate for overcrowded and unsanitary living conditions. The overuse of antibiotics in meat production contributes to increasing rates of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, posing a serious threat to human health. Learn what you can do to advocate for the future of antibiotics.

 

Speakers include:

  • Dr. Gail Hansen, Pew Campaign on Human Health & Industrial Farming
  • Dr. Paul Pottinger, UW Medical Center Antimicrobial Stewardship Program
  • Dr. Scott Weissman, Seattle Children’s Hospital Center for Global Infectious Disease Research
  • Dr. Howard Frumkin, Dean, UW School of Public Health

 

Register by March 31st

This event is free and open to the public. Questions? Email Kathy Pryor: kpryor@hcwh.org